In my view

I always wondered what became of The Grapevine Game. So I was very pleased to see that The National Youth Agency has been updating it, giving it a new title - Sexplanation! - and providing it with "a 21st-Century makeover" (CYP Now, 25 June-1 July).

I suppose I must have discovered The Grapevine Game almost as soon as it was launched in the early 1990s. And the discovery was quite by chance. I had a student on placement who had decided to organise a girls-only residential weekend in the middle of nowhere with a theme around sex and relationships education. She initially left me out of her plans but then the group needed a driver for the minibus. So on that basis, and with one golden rule, I went along.

The golden rule was that at any time - day or night, rain or shine - the group could throw me out if any sensitive or embarrassing issues arose. Fortunately, the weather was kind to me when they asked me to clear off for a couple of hours so that they could play The Grapevine Game. I had seen this advertised but did not know that the student had borrowed it from a local resource library.

So I wandered round the valley anticipating, on my return, a brief exchange on whether or not the game had gone well, and then we would move on to other things. Instead I encountered a group of energised and just slightly embarrassed young women who had been bombarded with information and issues that they had, before playing the game, only really dealt with through speculation and innuendo. I asked if I could have a look at the board and the question cards, just to get a feel for the game. They refused, insisting instead that I was put through the mill and they interrogated me on each and every question, dilemma and choice. (I seem to recall there are approaching 200 of them, and they relate both to sex and drugs, though no rock 'n' roll.)

I think the eight girls had even more fun taking turns in trying to catch me out or make me go red. They did not give up, and I suppose my answers promoted further learning and reflection as we talked things through. The girls had, apparently, been absolutely convinced that I would fail miserably and they were amazed that someone as old as me managed to get virtually all of the factual questions right. I did suggest to them that these were issues about which youth workers really should be reasonably informed. I hope Sexplanation! will produce a similar dynamic learning environment for young people.

Howard Williamson is professor of European youth policy at the University of Glamorgan, and a member of the Youth Justice Board. Email howard.williamson@haymarket.com.